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6 Clever Ways To Use Pinterest To Grow Your E-Commerce Business

Sign on the facade of the headquarters of social network Pinterest in the South of Market (SoMa)... [+] neighborhood of San Francisco, California. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)

Organic traffic is the name of the game. The more traffic you can drive to your website without having to pay for Google or Facebook ads, the better it will be for your bottom line. Social media is not only a high traffic driver but if utilized effectively, it can drive traffic for little to no cost. With over 200 million monthly users, Pinterest has a plethora of soon-to-be-customers searching for the next DIY craft project, fashion trend or health and beauty tips.

In fact, the industries that align with the most popular Pinterest categories, and in turn could benefit the most from Pinterest traffic, are craft and hobby companies, flowers, food, drinks and gifts, and apparel companies.

With half of all Millennials in the U.S., and 68% of U.S. women between the ages of 25 and 54 using Pinterest, it's definitely a social media platform worth investing time in. So what are some ways to tap into Pinterest's user base?

It's important to remember that Pinterest is essentially a visual search engine, and in order for your images to rank higher and appear in people's searches, you need to use relevant keywords in the image description. Just like your website requires keywords to rank with Google, your images require descriptive keywords within Pinterest as well. "Be strategic when creating pins and using keywords. For example, if you're selling a monogrammed beret, that text should be in the description," says Kirsten La Greca, Founder of Rosa Gold, an e-commerce brand that specializes in personalized accessories.

La Greca adds that she focuses more on researching relevant keywords and ensuring that pins can be "found" in searches than on gaining followers. "Whenever I add a new product to my site, I make sure to add a few pins with different pictures that lead to that one product. And when you upload pins from your computer it helps if the images are named with the keyword as well."

Needless to say, image quality is key. Investing in a good photographer or quality camera equipment so you can take great images yourself is the foundation of a great Pinterest account.

Create Boards Based On Your Product Categories

Pinterest users love organization. They are creating virtual bulletin boards after all. You can appeal to users by keeping your own account neatly structured and create a board for each product category you sell or want to promote. For example, if you sell apparel, you may want to create a board for each type of clothing, such as dresses, skirts, tops, etc. Or create a board for the latest fashion trends, such as midi skirts or metallics. This will allow users who are potential customers for each category to easily follow and share the boards they are most interested in.

Increase Reach Through Group Boards

If you aren't getting a lot of pins or new followers, perhaps you need to go to where other users are and share your content there, at least until they start coming to you. Group boards are a great place to share your content and get a lot of eyes on it. You simply need to search and request access to group boards that align with your brand. Once you are accepted, you can share your content with large pools of people.

Plant-based wellness blogger Chelsea Williams uses this tactic to increase her reach and has had a lot of success with it. “Although I only have about 500 followers on Pinterest, my account averages over 16,000 monthly views. Pinterest has been a tremendous help; I use group boards to increase visibility,” says Williams.

Schedule Pins At Peak Times

Using third-party platforms to stay on top on your pins and to post at the most beneficial times is another way to increase referral traffic. "Tailwind allows users to schedule pins, similar to Buffer for Twitter, at peak times. This helps users get more eyes on their pinned content. Tailwind provides analytics and access to group boards, also known as Tailwind Tribes,” says Williams.

Let People Buy Your Products Without Leaving The App

In today's digital business landscape, everyone wants everything accessible and fast. Instant gratification has never been more in demand. That's why buyable pins are a great option for e-commerce businesses; they allow users to go through the payment process within the platform, making the purchase process seamless and efficient. And the good news is, Pinterest users are ready to spend their dollars, the average shopping cart on the app is $58.95.

Stay On Top Of Algorithm Updates

"It's critical to stay on top of what is dictating the Pinterest algorithm so you are using the platform to its full potential," says La Greca. There are plenty of resources for staying abreast of changes and updates, such as Medium or Tailwind's blog.

I am a documentary filmmaker and the CEO of Studio 15, a socially responsible fashion brand. After leaving behind a 15-year career in the corporate fashion world, I

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I am a documentary filmmaker and the CEO of Studio 15, a socially responsible fashion brand. After leaving behind a 15-year career in the corporate fashion world, I started a company that focuses on doing good and supporting women.
It’s Studio 15’s mission to promote and collaborate with other female-owned businesses and to support female entrepreneurs in developing countries through a partnership with Kleos MFG, a non-profit organization.